Ecuador: 20% drop in mango production and larger calibres

The weather has not been the most favourable for Ecuadorian mango growers, whose production has been affected by similar circumstances as that of Peru.

"Because of El Niño we have not had enough cold days, causing fruit abortion and delays in the flowering process," says Anthony Burgos, Plant Manager at Agriproducts, one of the largest packers in the country, which handles about 35% of Ecuador's fresh mango exports.

The season started with low volumes, and according to the company, which started receiving mangoes at its packing house on 16 September, this year, during week 38, it received around 5,000 boxes, while in the same period of 2014 it received about 14,000.

"At the beginning we registered quite a drastic reduction, receiving only 30% of last year's volume, but it is already starting to normalise," he says. "This is an ambiguous season; production will drop by 20%, but we are receiving more fruits of the largest calibre." 

Last year, Agriproducts exported about 14,800 tonnes of fresh mango to different markets, with the main destination being the U.S.

"We are still awaiting an official communication from the authorities, but hopefully from November we will start shipping larger calibre mangoes to the United States."